1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tool for reeving and spacing deadeyes and sheaves on lanyards and shroud lines of model sailing ships.
2. Description of the Related Art
Boating and model ship building are two of America""s favorite past-times. Rigging and reeving the lanyards and deadeyes of both real sailing ships and model sailing ships require the use of specific tools and procedures. Such tools for boating and model ship building are reflected in the prior art.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,871,127 issued to Heath, outlines a model sailing ship with an improved keel. The keel has a downwardly extending section attached to the hull and a horizontal extending section attached to the downwardly extending section. The keel is positioned so that the center of pressure of the wind acting on the ship is in a forward position, in relation to the center pressure of the water acting on the ship.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,412,499 issued to Hall, outlines the use of a connection assembly for marine rigging in the form of ropes and rods which employ a thick rigid internal tang that is mounted in an opening in a mast or other tubular member. A keyhole is formed in the tang in the opening in which is arranged to receive a key affixed to the end of the rigging. A pocket extends into the tang from the side inside the mast, at a point that is spaced vertically from the keyhole.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,815,408 issued to Burd, outlines a clamping device adapted to receive in each of two linearly spaced members the distal end of a shroud line and a deck plate mount, the members being moveable along a threaded shaft to draw the distal end of the shroud line toward the deck plate member for attachment to. A gauge for determining precisely the linear relationship between the distal end of the shroud line and the deck plate is also provided.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,233,716 issued to Hicks, outlines in general a rigging tool that is used for windsurfing. The rigging tool is compact, wear resistant, can serve most of the rigging requirements for setting-up a windsurfer and is suitable for mass production at a low cost using several methods of manufacture.
Great Britain Patents No. 2,286,552 and Patent No. 2,297,510 granted to Foxall, outline a one-piece, multi-purpose rigging tool incorporating a swinging handle attached by a pivot partway along, the length of the blade, enabling either side or end of the blade to be partially enclosed in the handle. There is also a catch on the handle to secure it in such a working position when the other end of the blade is in use.
Although each of these patents outline a novel and useful invention involving either boating or model sailing ship building, what is really needed is a tool to more easily reeve and space deadeyes and sheaves on lanyards and shroud lines of model sailing ships. With the popularity of model sailing ship building being so thigh, such a tool would definitely be in demand in the marketplace.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singularly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus a model ship tool for reeving and spacing deadeyes and sheaves solving the aforementioned problems is desired.
The invention is an apparatus for reeving and spacing deadeyes and sheaves for model sailing ships. The apparatus has a base for support, a spacing block that is used for measuring off a set distance between the deadeyes and the sheaves being reeved and a pair of clamping jaws to hold a plurality of deadeyes and sheaves in place while being reeved and threaded, the clamping jaws being set on the base and at the opposite end of the spacing block. The spacing block is a raised plateau with incremental pre-measured sections and channels for providing a set of distances between the deadeyes and sheaves being reeved. The apparatus also has a secondary spacing block to increase the distance between the incremental pre-measured sections and channels of the provided spacing block.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide a tool for reeving and spacing deadeyes used with rigging or shroud lines of model ships.
It is another object of the invention to provide a tool for reeving the deadeyes and sheaves of a model ship in a desired sequence.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a tool for spacing the deadeyes and sheaves of a model ship a specific measured distance apart.
It is another object of the invention to provide a tool for holding single sheave, double sheave and triple sheave blocks prior to reeving or threading with various rigging or shroud lines of a model ship.
It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.